We’re all familiar with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors. But did you know there’s a fifth one?

It’s umami and it adds a savory component to cooking, particularly Asian cuisine.

How can you add this unique flavor to food? One of the easiest and healthiest ways is with miso.

What is Miso?

Typically made from a fermented combination of soybeans in a base of salt and the starter culture koji (typically derived from rice), miso can be added anywhere a salty, savory, and satisfying flavor is desired.

With its thick, paste-like consistency similar to peanut butter, miso can be easily mixed into many dishes.

Origins of Miso

Miso is not a new culinary trend. Originating in Asia over a thousand years ago, it was brought to the West in the 1960s through the macrobiotic diet.

These days miso’s beloved throughout Asia for its unique flavor profile. In fact, the Japanese love it so much there are more than 1,500 manufacturing plants in Japan alone!

Benefits of Miso

• Digestion

  Miso can help with digestion, since it’s a fermented food. Some brands even contain beneficial bacteria.

  Research has found that the probiotics present in miso can help lessen symptoms from digestive issues like inflammatory bowel disease.

• Diabetes

  Other studies find that consuming fermented soy products like miso can delay the onset and progression of Type 2 diabetes.

• Other Diseases

  Research even indicates that consuming miso every day may help lower risks of heart disease and stomach cancer.

  The benefits don’t stop there. Miso has been associated with reducing cancer cell growth and the ability to lower cholesterol levels.

• Nutrition

  One ounce of miso offers 12 percent of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of manganese, 10 percent of vitamin K, and 5 percent of zinc.

  Miso offers some protein and fiber, as well as other nutrients, like:

  • copper
  • phosphorus
  • vitamin B2
  • vitamin K

• Fermentation

  Because miso is a fermented food, its nutrients are more easily available to the body.

  Keep in mind that nutritional benefits vary depending on fermentation times and ingredients used.

• Sodium Warning

  Miso is high in sodium, so if you’re watching your salt intake you may want to use small amounts.

  Research shows that miso does not seem to affect the cardiovascular system the way other high-sodium foods can.

Types of Miso

Brands offer their own flavor profiles due to the amounts of soybeans, salt, and other ingredients used.

Here’s a basic breakdown of what you may find when shopping for miso.

• Red Miso

  With its long fermentation time, this variety is darker in color. Hues range from red to brown. Red miso is stronger in flavor and tastes saltier than other varieties.

• White Miso

  A traditional choice, this is generally the least salty of the misos. A shorter fermentation time creates a mellow, mild, and sweet flavor.

• Yellow Miso

  Stronger in flavor than white miso, the yellow variety is still mild tasting with earthy undertones. Yellow miso is a commonly purchased type.

• Chickpea Miso

  While not a traditional offering, chickpea miso is a good choice if you wish to avoid soy. It tastes similar to white miso.

How to Use Miso

Many know pungent miso for its starring role in miso soup, but it can be used for so much more.

Miso adds depth to:

• roasted vegetables
• broths and soups
• noodles (ramen, soba, etc.)
• sauces and spreads
• glazes
• marinades
• dressings
• grain bowls
• Asian dishes
• vegan cheese

Use lighter miso varieties for:

• sauces
• spreads
• soups

Misos that are darker in color work better in:

• grilled foods
• noodle dishes
• veggie burgers
• stir-fries

Since miso is a salty ingredient, recipes typically call for small amounts of it such as a few tablespoons.

Cooking with Miso

Since miso can have a beneficial probiotic content, add it to a dish once cooking is complete.

This applies to miso soup, too: stir miso into the soup when it’s no longer boiling and has been taken off heat.

Ideas and Inspiration

• Make Miso Butter

  Blend miso into butter to top your favorite protein or roasted vegetable dish.

• Use to Glaze Fish

  Miso’s savory quality pairs particularly well with salmon.

• Mix Into Cookies

  Take peanut butter cookies up a notch with the addition of a tablespoon or so of miso.

• As a Salt Replacement

  In a pinch, miso can be used as a replacement for soy sauce or salt.

• In Salad Dressing

  For an easy miso-based salad dressing, whisk together white or yellow miso with:

  • rice vinegar
  • chopped ginger
  • chopped garlic
  • honey
  • olive oil
  • toasted sesame oil

Shopping For Miso

• Avoid GMOs

  If you want to avoid GMOs, shop for certified organic varieties. Or purchase miso that’s been made without genetically modified soybeans.

  Almost all soy crops in the United States are genetically modified. The misos coming from Japan or Korea are less likely to be derived from genetically modified organisms.

• Where to Find It

  Find miso in the refrigerated section of Asian markets and many large grocery stores. Miso comes packaged in tubes, bags, glass jars, and plastic containers.

• Fermentation

  Look for brands that have fermented their ingredients at least 180 days.

  Keep in mind that unrefrigerated varieties won’t offer the same beneficial probiotics found in chilled versions.

• Storage

  When you get miso home, store it in the fridge where it will keep for months.

Precautions

Individuals with a soy allergy should avoid soy-derived miso.

Nine out of ten Americans’ diets don’t hit the bare-bones baseline recommendations for key vitamins and minerals, particularly:

• potassium
• vitamin D
• calcium
• magnesium

Multivitamins can’t make up for bad dietary choices, but they can help close the gap on nutrient deficiencies.

Even Americans who aren’t technically deficient in a particular vitamin or mineral (for example, getting enough vitamin C to prevent scurvy) may not be getting optimal levels for vitality and well-being.

Choosing a Multivitamin

No one multivitamin works for everyone, but in the sea of choices, you’ll easily find one that’s perfect for you.

• Find Natural Ingredients

  Check out the fine print!

  Look for ingredients like d-alpha tocopherols (versus synthetic dl-alpha) for vitamin E and natural carotenoids under vitamin A, which will be better utilized by the body.

  Avoid synthetic flavors, colorings, and preservatives in the “Other Ingredients” list, and avoid adulterated supplements.

• Potency and Quality

  Sometimes a lower-potency multivitamin easily outweighs a mega-dose tablet because the lower-potency one offers high-quality forms of each ingredient.

  If this doesn’t it your budget, stick to a basic once daily multivitamin.

  • High-Quality Forms

    Consider paying more for the multivitamin with higher-quality vitamins and minerals, such as:

    • co-enzyme B vitamins

    • methylcobalamin B12 (instead of cyanocobalamin)

    • the selenomethionine form of selenium

  • Food-Sourced Vitamins

    Consider food-sourced, fermented, and/or organic multivitamins (but expect lower doses of each vitamin). These forms are generally better utilized by the body and cause less digestive upset, but they’re not cheap.

• Easy to Swallow

  Glance at the pill size if possible (rattle opaque bottles) to make sure it’s something you can comfortably swallow, opting for smooth edges.

• Breaks Down Well

  Capsules break down more easily but don’t hold as much as tablets. Pop a pill in water with a splash of vinegar to get an idea of how well it breaks down.

• Timing and Dosage

  Look at the tiny print under “Supplement Facts” to see how many pills you’re expected to take per day to get the doses listed for each vitamin and mineral.

  • Multi Daily

    The more pills per day, the more optimal those levels should be—especially for bulky ingredients like calcium and magnesium.

    (You’re usually better off taking an additional cal-mag supplement regardless of the amount offered by your multi.)

  • Once Daily

    If you know you’re not likely to take more than one pill per day, stick with a “once daily” vitamin, which will give you more optimal levels of micronutrients like B vitamins, vitamins C and D, and microminerals in one pill.

• For a Sensitive Stomach

  • Control Your Dosage

    High doses of B vitamins and zinc make some people queasy.

    Choose a two-(or more)-a-day multi so you can divide the dose, or choose a food-sourced brand.

  • Don't Take on an Empty Stomach

    Always take your multivitamin with food, ideally a solid breakfast.

• For Specific Groups

  • Men and Older Women

    Multis geared toward men and older women usually don’t contain iron and often offer additional ingredients such as lycopene and targeted herb blends (in low doses).

  • Pregnant Women

    Prenatals target healthy fetal growth with more folate and iron and less vitamin A.

    For the most nutrition support or for sensitive stomachs, choose a prenatal with several pills per day. But if you know you’re apt to take only one, go for a once-daily formula.

  • Seniors with Meds

    Some multivitamins for elders are less likely to interact with meds, but always check with your healthcare practitioner.

  • Vegans / Vegetarians

    Seek vegan or vegetarian multivitamins if you want to avoid animal ingredients.

Herbs and supplements can make a difference when it comes to controlling stress and anxiety.

Supplements for Stress

• The Ray of Sunshine You Need is Found in Vitamin D

  Supplement with vitamin D3. Sunlight can be scarce during the winter, depleting our vitamin D reserves.

  There is quite a bit of evidence that vitamin D deficiency plays a role in Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is just another term for the wintertime blues.

• Improve Your Mood with Vitamin B

  B vitamins can also help control stress and depression.

  One clinical study showed that supplementation with B complex over three months helped people improve mood and reduce stress.

Herbs for Stress

There are a wide variety of herbs that also help combat stress. Here are a few stress relieving herbs to look into.

• Find Balance with Ashwagandha

  An Ayurvedic herb, ashwagandha, also known as Indian ginseng, has been shown to reduce cortisol levels for people with chronic anxiety.

  It also helps control stress, balance hormones, and improve cognition.

• Passionflower for Relaxation

  Passionflower influences GABA, a neurotransmitter which promotes relaxation.

• The Calming Effects of Lavender

  Lavender is a wonderful herb that can calm anxiety and act as a sleep aid.

  The flowers can be used in tea, whereas lavender essential oil is highly concentrated and should only be used externally on the skin (diluted with a base like almond oil), added to a bath, or in an aromatherapy vaporizer.

• Honokiol is the Anti-Anxiety Antioxidant

  Another great recommendation is the extract honokiol. An active compound derived from magnolia bark, honokiol also works on GABA receptors, providing calming mood support.

  Numerous preclinical studies have demonstrated the significant anti-anxiety effects of this compound, without side effects.

  The botanical is also a powerful antioxidant, 1,000 times stronger than vitamin E.

  In addition, honokiol actively promotes cellular health of the breasts, prostate, lungs, and other areas, and fights inflammation, which often occurs after intense exercise.

Once again, it’s an overtime day and a fast-food dinner.

You’re so frazzled, even days off feel like work, and forget about a decent night’s sleep.

If only you could wind down and unplug!

Enter qigong (say “chee-gong”), a type of moving meditation.

What Is Qigong?

Similar to yoga, this practice from traditional Chinese medicine combines thousands of simple and repetitive postures and slow gestures with relaxed and purposeful breathing and a present-focused mind.

While doing qigong, you can remain perfectly still or you can move—from ever so slightly to dancerly.

How you position your body informs your state of mind (and vice versa), while your body and breath improve your physical health.

You can do qigong anywhere, whether sitting, standing, or lying down. And yes, you can make time for it!

Benefits of Qigong

Just two minutes of qigong here and there throughout the day can reduce stress and help with depression and anxiety. It also helps you manage chronic conditions and prevent illness, and it encourages healthy aging.

“Qigong creates functional changes within the body to produce the most profound medicine ever discovered,” says Roger Jahnke, a doctor of Oriental medicine and director of the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi, in Santa Barbara, CA. He’s the author of The Healing Promise of Qi: Creating Extraordinary Wellness Through Qigong and Tai Chi.

For starters, qigong (qi for “life force” and gong for “practice”) mobilizes the blood and other body fluids, including those related to the lymphatic system, joints, brain, and spine. It also increases blood-vessel elasticity, so the heart pumps more easily.

“The blood carries in more oxygen and nutrition, and lymph more effectively flushes out toxic byproducts through the elimination system,” Dr. Jahnke explains. This, in turn, enhances the immune system, cell metabolism, and tissue regrowth.

How Does Qigong Work?

The body loves qigong. It’s why millions of people worldwide do this practice that originated before recorded history. You can’t help but feel calmer, given your relaxed yet alert posture, abdominal breathing, and mindful attention.

“These are the ‘three treasures,’ in an internal conspiracy of cooperation that the Chinese call ‘the qigong effect,’” Dr. Jahnke says. “When you slow down to the length of a deep breath and link it to the gestures, it triggers the body’s relaxation response.”

Instead of the fight, flight, or freeze typical of the sympathetic nervous system when you’re under stress, qigong releases parasympathetic hormones. Heart rate and blood pressure decrease, immediately calming you and sharpening your mental focus.

“When you do qigong, you stop doing everything else,” Dr. Jahnke said. “You stop being busy and worrying about the past or future, and you tend not to catastrophize or ruminate."

"You also are, then, more aware of what your body is doing, in movement or stillness, and how you feel within your body.”

Getting Started with Qigong

You can try qigong right now:

1. Stand or sit upright, or lie down stretched out.
2. Like a tree rooted firmly in the ground with its leaves fluttering, imagine being pulled from the base of your spine down into the center of the earth with your head lifted way up into the sky.
3. Slowly breathe in through your nose into your belly, hold for several seconds, then slowly exhale, letting yourself increasingly relax. Picture clouds drifting by or a stream bubbling through the forest.
4. Then notice what your body is doing and how it feels.

It can begin that simply!

In the midst of racing around and getting stressed out, qigong invites you to ease up and chill out. Enjoy those moments of quietude and relief, and get to know the healer within.

Ask any parent who’s lived through a young child’s ear infection. You may hear a wish for a way to skip this scourge of early childhood that’s marked by pain, crying, irritability, and sleeplessness.

Acute otitis media, or ear infection, may come on suddenly when the narrow eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the throat, swell and impede the flow of mucus out of the ear.

More common in children than adults, an ear infection may go away on its own, but physicians often prescribe antibiotics to speed the process along.

A better approach may be to ward off the condition altogether.

Preventing Ear Infections

While about 80 percent of otitis media infections in children clear without antibiotics, researchers continue to search for alternative preventives and treatments.

Be sure to discuss with a healthcare provider any supplements that you intend to introduce into your child’s diet.

• Try Xylitol

  This naturally occurring alternative to sugar “has been found in some studies to help prevent ear infections but not treat them,” according to Dana Sparks, writing on the Mayo Clinic News Network.

  A Cochrane review of clinical trials found “quite convincing evidence on the potential benefit of xylitol” for reducing the risk of ear infection.

  Sparks also noted that effectiveness depends upon high doses and that side effects include diarrhea and abdominal discomfort.

• Use Probiotics

  A literature review and meta-analysis of clinical trials found that the use of probiotics reduced instances of ear infection in healthy children if not in those who tended to suffer from recurrent infections.

  This finding is corroborated by data drawn from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, which found that “risk ratios for otitis media incidence decreased with higher frequencies of yogurt intake.”

• Get Enough Vitamin D

  Children with recurrent ear infections participated in a randomized clinical trial in which they received either vitamin D or a placebo.

  Dosages of vitamin D that restored serum values of the vitamin were associated with a reduction in the risk of uncomplicated ear infections, according to the authors of the study published in Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

• Feed Babies with Care

  Staff at the Mayo Clinic suggest breast-feeding infants for the protective antibodies it provides.

  Alternatively, a parent should hold a bottle-fed baby in an upright position while feeding, rather than allowing the baby to lie down.

The mineral magnesium is vital for our health.

It’s linked to more than 700 important body functions, ranging from energy production and blood pressure regulation, to heart health and muscle and nerve function.

Food Sources of Magnesium

This mood mineral can be found in:

• dark green, leafy veggies, like:
  • spinach
  • kale
  • collard greens
• legumes and peas
• whole grains
• nuts, especially:
  • almonds
  • cashews
  • peanuts
• milk and yogurt
• dark chocolate

Magnesium Deficiency

Despite magnesium’s widespread availability in food sources, medical research has shown that Americans consistently struggle with magnesium deficiency, not getting the daily recommended amounts.

Part of the reason is that modern soils have been depleted of this mineral. Another factor is that there is too much reliance on processed foods in American diets. Conditions that increase likelihood of a deficiency include obesity and diabetes.

Diagnosing Magnesium Deficiency

However, some people may not be aware of their magnesium deficiency because the mineral works inside cells, not while coursing through the bloodstream.

A deficiency often won’t show up in a blood test, so diagnosis is a challenge.

Although difficult to discover, magnesium deficiencies are common: Up to 80 percent of Americans do not get enough magnesium.

In addition to dietary shortages, deficiencies can also be caused by overactive stress hormones or too much calcium.

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

Low magnesium levels can lead to medical issues including:

• cardiovascular disease
• osteoporosis
• high blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• muscle cramps
• immune system issues

Low magnesium levels are also linked to Alzheimer's disease, migraines, and ADHD.

Other symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:

• loss of appetite
• nausea
• fatigue
• weakness
• numbness
• tingling
• abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)

Who is at Risk?

People who are particularly at risk for low magnesium levels include:

• those who drink alcohol regularly
• those with gastrointestinal diseases
• postmenopausal women
• the elderly

Supplementing with Magnesium

Taking a magnesium supplement is an easy way to get the recommended daily intake.

However, most multivitamins contain less than 100 milligrams (mg) of magnesium, so taking a separate magnesium supplement may be the best way to reach the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).

The National Institutes of Health RDA recommendations are: 310 mg for women 19-30; 400 mg for men 19-30; 320 mg for women 31 and older; 420 for men 31 and older.

Pregnant women need higher levels of magnesium: 400 mg for ages 14-18; 350 mg for ages 19-30; and 360 for ages 31-50.

There are different forms of magnesium that perform differently in the body.

Research indicates that some people who take magnesium supplements may experience significant improvements in lipoproteins, C-reactive protein, fasting glucose, and insulin resistance.

Magnesium for Calm

It’s also known as “the mood mineral” because it helps decrease feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.

The Washington Post listed magnesium as one of the ten nutrients that can "lift your spirits," due to the large role it plays in the development of serotonin, a hormone linked to feelings of happiness and well-being.

It has also been called an antistress mineral as it can help prevent feelings of nervousness or irritability.

PsychologyToday.com reviewed scientific studies of the mineral and labeled it the “original chill pill,” because of evidence supporting its health and calming benefits.

The herb lavender has been used for centuries for therapeutic reasons.

General Uses for Lavender

Abundant in perfumes, potpourris, and bath and body products, lavender’s flowers are also edible and found in the famous seasoning ingredient Herbes de Provence.

Lavender essential oil can be used as an ingredient in homemade cleaning products, including disinfecting the toilet bowl.

Therapeutic Uses for Lavender

This herb has many other benefits, including analgesic, antibacterial, antidepressant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, sedative, and more.

• Topical Care

  • Skin Care

    Applied topically, undiluted lavender essential oil can help treat acne, athlete’s foot, and bee stings.

  • Calming Effects

    Rubbing lavender cream onto the legs before bedtime significantly reduced anxiety, stress, and depression in pregnant women, according to a 2015 study.

    The women applied the cream for 10 to 20  minutes each night for eight weeks. Some of the women also included a warm foot bath in their nightly routine. The women were 25 to 28 weeks pregnant at the start of the trial.

• Tea for Body Care

  Lavender tea can be used as a mouthwash to eliminate bad breath or as a footbath to relieve fatigue.

• Aromatherapy

  • Stress and Depression

    Simply smelling lavender’s scent can help relieve feelings of stress and depression. Inhaling lavender has been shown in studies to significantly lower anxiety levels (but not blood pressure).

  • Sleep and Anxiety

    The use of lavender essential oil was found to lower overall anxiety and improve the sleep of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

• Soothing Baths

  To soothe cranky children (or yourself!), add lavender herb oil to bathwater. The uplifting scent of lavender might be a great tool to help fight low mood and feelings of anxiety during the winter months.

• Massage Oil

  Added to massage oil, lavender can help treat sore muscles, cellulite, and rheumatism.